Pilates 101: 3 fundamental exercises to get you started

Sarah
Feb 1, 2020
4 min read

Updated: Oct 29, 2020

Pilates can be daunting to start with, some people even shy away from it because they’ve heard that it’s ‘too hard’ or that they ‘won’t be good enough’. I’m here to tell you: this is not the case! Pilates can be tailored to ANYONE and EVERYONE. It just depends how you apply it! This is the same with any new type of exercise. No one can complete 50kg squats on their first go with perfect form and without DOMS (see my last post here for more information)!

You can take some comfort (and my word as a professional exercise prescriber!) that it will get easier, as long as you stick with it.

So, exercises should always be ‘graded’.

Q. What does this mean? 🤷🏼‍♀️

A. You start slowly and build up the intensity! Exercises can always be progressed (made more difficult) or regressed (made easier).

Think of the below exercises as pilates building blocks 🤸🏼‍♀️

1. Pelvic curls A pelvic curl (above picture) is a ‘segmental bridge’, starting with a pelvic tilt.

Ly flat on your back with a pillow underneath just your head (not your shoulders) and bend your knees;
Your feet should be hip-width apart and feet comfortably flat on the floor;
Tuck your tailbone upwards as if you’re starting to ‘peel’ your back away from the mat, one vertebra at a time;
Continue to lift, until your hips are off the floor but your lower ribs are still on the mat;
Slowly curl back down to the floor, starting with higher vertebrae until your tailbone is the last to touch the floor.

Complete 3 sets of 10 repetitions to start with.

*If your back hurts, stop! Your back should NOT hurt or even feel as though the muscles are ‘activated’. BENEFIT: gluteal and hamstring strength; lower back mobility

2. Leg lifts

Perhaps you’ve heard of 'table top'?

This is different from a yoga 'table top' (on hands and knees) and instead involves lifting one leg at a time to a 90 degree bend at the hip and knee, with feet in the air.

The end result is important, but how you get there is even more important! This exercise is essential to master before you progress into double leg lifts which can place more force through your back (see below picture). When your abdominal muscles progressively build strength, it will be easier to complete double leg work (which many pilates exercises involve!).

Ly flat on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hands relaxed by side, with palms up;
Keeping your back in contact with the mat (no arching!), gently lift one leg up to “table top” (90 degrees at the hip, 90 degrees at the knee -> knee and hip in-line, foot in the air);
Be aware of which muscles are working in this position. Your abs should be switching on gently, with no quads or hip flexors (front of thigh) working;
Slowly lower your leg back down to the start position and repeat on the other side.

Complete 5 reps each side, break for 1 min then repeat for 3 sets.

ree — Two of my lovely friends demonstrating a '1+1' ie two leg lifts into table top, with an added chest lift.

*If you feel your back arching or that your thighs/hip flexors are continually working, you may require a regression. A pilates assessment with an appropriately trained physiotherapist will be helpful here as you may require further cueing. BENEFIT: pelvic stability; abdominal activation

3. Bent knee fall outs Helpful for self-assessment and awareness of pelvis vs hip ('ball and socket') movement.

This exercise is less well known and is often one that is forgotten about. It may seem easy, but if you’re concentrating and attuned to your body, you’ll likely notice a difference between from left to right. Food for thought for your pilates practice!

Ly flat as above, knees bent and feet flat on the mat, hands placed over your hip bones;
Slowly lower one knee towards the floor, but maintain your flat back position and do not rotate your opposite hip to lift from the floor;
Return your leg back to the midline, gently engaging your abdominal muscles;
Repeat on the other side;
Notice which side feels easier and which side tends to rotate and lift more.

Complete 10-20 slow reps each side, until you have established a movement pattern and can separate pelvic and hip movement. I'll put a demo of this on my instagram page 😉**The goal is NOT to put your knee on the ground. It is to become aware of movement discrepancies from left hip to right hip. This can give you some indication of hip ‘balance’ and strength. I usually advise my patients just to lower approximately half way to the floor when starting out. But all in all, you want to find out how far you can lower your leg to the floor without opposite pelvic rotation or lift. BENEFIT: pelvic stability; body awareness

Remember to keep breathing throughout and try to be conscious of the times that you want to hold your breath (we all do it!).

Try these exercises daily when you're starting out your pilates practice! If you find that you're very sore after the first one or two sessions, give yourself a day in-between. They're even useful for those more experienced in their pilates practice if you'd like a refresher of the basics!